CLEP

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) 

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a credit-by-examination program that permits students to earn credits for general introductory courses and move on to course work for their major and prospective career. Students who successfully pass CLEP tests can save time and tuition dollars during their college careers. 

CLEP offers thirty-four (34) examinations. For a complete up-to-date list, please visit the CLEP website by clicking here:  https://clep.collegeboard.org/exams.  If you have any additional questions or concerns, contact the Office of Testing at 973-720-2570.

 What you should know:

  • CLEP exams are taken at an official test center on a computer.
  • Exams contain multiple-choice questions.
  • Exams take approximately 90-120 minutes, depending on the exam.
  • Exams are offered year round.
  • Candidates receive their unofficial CLEP exam score after completing the exam; with the exception of College Composition.
  • There are 2 fees associated with CLEP exams:
    • CLEP examination fee of $93: payable to the College Board/CLEP on their web site. See more information below before deciding to purchase.
    • WPU test administration fee of $30: A separate, non-refundable fee payable to William Paterson University when registering to have the exam proctored at WPU. Contact the Office of Testing about the online form used for registering.
    • NOTE: Effective July 1, 2024 the College Board/CLEP exam fee will increase from $93 to $95.
  • There are no limits on the number of tests that can be taken.
  • Exams may be retaken after the three month waiting period from the prior test date.  There are limits on the number of tests given on a particular day or within a given month.
  • Test scores are kept on file for 20 years, so you can request Score Reports at a later date.
  • CLEP registration tickets expire six (6) months after the date of purchase.

Getting Credit:

Since college credit-granting policies vary, it is recommended that prior to taking a CLEP exam, students contact their institution to obtain a list of course credit allocations for CLEP exams.  This will help you to know what a passing score may be and how many credits you will receive.

If you are currently enrolled at William Paterson University, learn more about our guidelines by clicking here for General Exams  or here for Subject Exams.

Preparing for your exam:

There are recommendations for online courses, textbooks and study materials for each exam on the CLEP website.  Learn more by clicking here:  https://clep.collegeboard.org/earn-college-credit/practice.

Purchase your exam:

  • Create an online account and submit payment through the My Account portal on the College Board/CLEP website, or click here: Purchase your exam.
  • Complete your registration form to reserve your seat with William Paterson University by clicking here: Reserve a seat.
  • The First Name and Last Name on your CLEP Registration Ticket must match EXACTLY with the name on the Photo Identification you present on the date of testing.
    • Last Name Example: "Smith-Ochoa" and "Smith Ochoa" are NOT exactly the same.
    • First Name Example: "Will" and "William" are NOT exactly the same.
  • If the Photo ID also includes a Middle Name, then the CLEP Registration Ticket must also contain at least the 1st letter of the Middle Name from the Photo ID presented.

Schedule

TEST DATE

REPORTING TIME

TESTING BEGINS

PROMPTLY 

Please Call or Email about current dates/times Please Call or Email about current dates/times


Testing under non-standard conditions:

If you are requesting to test under non-standard conditions, be certain to submit your documentation to the Office of Testing at William Paterson University at least five (5) working days before your test session. 

Accommodations which can be provided are: extended time, zoom text and rest breaks (if needed).  Do not register for your exam if these accommodations do not meet your needs.  Contact CLEP services at clep@info.collegeboard.org for information about other services.

What your score means:

You may download the guide by clicking here: https://clep.collegeboard.org/pdf/what-your-score-means.pdf 

In order to reach the total score you see on your score report, two calculations are performed. 

Your “raw score" is the number of questions you answered correctly. Your raw score increases by one point for each question answered correctly. 

Your raw score is then converted into a “scaled score” that ranges from 20, the lowest, to 80, the highest. This scaled score is the score that appears on your score report. 

The scores that appear are the credit­ granting scores recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE). Each college, however, can set its own credit-granting policy, which may differ from that of ACE. If you haven't already done so, contact your college as soon as possible to find out the score it requires to grant credit, the number of credit hours granted, and the course(s) that can be bypassed with a satisfactory score. 

Please note that College-Level Examination Program• (CLEP®) exams are developed and evaluated independently and aren’t linked to one another except by the program's common purpose, format, and method of reporting results. For this reason, direct comparisons shouldn't be made between CLEP exams in different subjects. CLEP scores aren't comparable to SAT® scores or other test scores. 

You can view your scores online by logging into My Account on the CollegeBoard website.  However, exams taken prior to September 2013, cancelled exams or exams taken more than 20 years ago won’t be displayed. 

You may request transcripts by visiting My Account on the CollegeBoard website.  The fee for ordering of these transcripts is $20 per recipient.  Transcript fees are non-refundable and cannot be canceled or changed. 

Military Funded:

The following are funded with DANTES: 

Military personnel (active duty, reserve, National Guard): Army, Navy, Marine Corps, US Coast Guard, Army Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Army and Air National Guard. 

Spouses of Coast Guard (active and reserve) 

Civilian employees of Air Force (to be eligible you must test at on-base or US fully funded centers). 

To learn more about military funded benefits, please click here:  Military Page.

 On Exam day:

  • Late arrivals or failure to keep your scheduled appointment will incur a re-scheduling fee of $15.
  • Present an original copy of your William Paterson University Admission Form and a current/unexpired original photo bearing identification.  These may include:
  1. Driver’s license
  2. Passport
  3. Tribal Identification
  4. Naturalization Card
  5. Student ID

 

Terms and conditions:

  • Administration fees are non-refundable
  • Re-scheduling of appointment requires 48 hours’ notice to avoid a $15 re-scheduling fee.
  • You must report 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment for registration and check-in.  There will be no admittance once testing commences.  You will be required to re-schedule your appointment and pay a $15 re-scheduling fee.
  • Must present an original paper copy of your William Paterson University Admission Ticket and appropriate ID on test day.
  • Candidates must report to: William Paterson University, 300 Pompton Road-Atrium Building Room 122 (Entry #2), Wayne, NJ 07470

If you have any additional questions or concerns, you may contact the Office of Testing by telephone (973-720-2570) or email: Testcenter@wpunj.edu

There may be times examinations are cancelled due to inclement weather or other emergencies. In such cases, visit our welcome page for an updated announcement or you may call 973-720-2570.